All of the Stars
by ME3Free
Summary: Strongly rated T because of the suggestive adult themes, nothing too explicit, and swearing among other things but other than that there's just some goofy teens. More info inside.
1. Prologue

All of the Stars

Prologue

AN:p Since I suck at summaries, here's the general idea: Annabeth is a foster kid trying to figure out the motions of life-like love, friendship, forgiveness, and moving on so she can finally comprehend what it means to let go and live life. I suppose you can classify it as a coming of age story. To be honest, this story will hit home for me and I'm only writing it as I go so not everything is finished. I was inspired by listening to Ed Sheeran's song "All of the Stars", hence the title, and also a piano piece called "White Cloud" which are both beautiful songs in my opinion.

Anywho, if you didn't know, Ed wrote the his song for the movie/book called 'The Fault in our Stars' which is my all-time favorite book; I was really hit hard about the sincere, harsh reality of things and I wanted to write something similar but hopefully entirely different. I feel like stories should come from something real, something raw and just brilliant-and for me, I decided just the motions of life. Originally I was just going to go with a high school girl who just thinks her parents are out to get her, which I know many of gone through, but the more I thought about this version of Annabeth, the more I thought about foster care. Sometimes foster care has some harsh realities too ... Anywho, I hope you will enjoy this story and my upcoming ones. Due note: I am going to focus entirely on this first because I want to practice my writing before I continue into something more creative-thinking wise. (")

Don't own anything.

* * *

_"So open your eyes and see_

_The way our horizons meet_

_And all of the lights will lead_

_Into the night with me_

_And I know these scars will bleed_

_But both of our hearts believe_

_All of these stars will guide us home."_

_-Ed Sheeran, "All of the Stars"_

* * *

All my life it has always been about surviving, on how to protect myself, and to guard my heart from the next disappointment. Soon the only thing I began to count on is another new home and faces in the matter of weeks. It's sad but the truth and I don't sugar coat things.

Sitting on the roof with my backpack, because I'm never without it, I wait for my social worker to come pick me up. Again, someone didn't want me. Actually the reason for my early departure was some crybaby nursing a bloody nose that I had given him because he couldn't keep his hands to himself. I snorted. The reason why I am leaving was because someone wanted me a little too much and I did not appreciate the advances. Ironic, huh?

"You bitch!" His scream was muffled as he clutched his nose, trying to stop some of the blood from gushing out. "You broke it!" His voice went an octave higher.

"You tried to sexually harass me," I pointed out, arms crossed over my chest which, for once, was the truth. He came out of nowhere and jumped me, trying to shove his tongue down my throat and grope my boob at the same time so I did what any young, dignified lady would do: I punched him.

"I fuckin' paid attention to you! You should've been happy with just that! God!"

He closed his eyes and pinch his nose, when he opened them again, he glared right at me. "Guess you wouldn't know what that feels like, would ya?" he sneered. "Nobody wants you."

The grin fell off my face when I began to remember that part of the evening, his words stinging. I remembered I was going to reply with some witty, smartass comment about how he was a foster kid just like me until I suddenly realized that this was his second home since he was put in foster care at the age of fourteen … this is my twenty-seventh home since I was put into the system when I was seven. He was right, nobody wanted me, not since _them_ which just pisses me off some more.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to stop thinking about any of this because it's impossible to change the inevitable, I instead look up. I don't know what it is about being outside, feeling the wind on my skin, breathing the fresh air, and looking up into the sky—it just makes me feel light, happy even, and more like myself instead of that angry kid from before. I close my eyes for a minute, just content with the wind caressing my cheek. When I open them, I see a tiny star peaking out and I smiled. It never really occurred to me that my next home could change my life entirely, that I could possibly learn that I don't need to keep on surviving anymore … instead I'll learn on how to live.


	2. Chapter 1

"Wake up," Ashley said, not looking away from her phone. "I think this is it," she muttered to herself.

I hadn't realized that we were here in Manhattan seeing how I was asleep for most of the ride. I stretched and rubbed my groggily eyes. Blinking a few times, I looked out the window and the first thought that came to mind was: I hate it. For me, I always hated the city because it was too busy and had too much people. The only thing I'm going to miss about my old home is the piracy and the nature-quietness it had provided; now I'm at the opposite of that.

"Ashley," I mumbled in a monotone voice, turning to look at her, "there's a guy pissing in the alleyway."

Ashley cringed her neck to look out my window to see the alleyway guy. "Lovely," she grumbled, looking tired. "Fuckin' ass." She repeatedly tapped her phone which was open to the google map app.

"What have you brought me too?" I pulled my hoodie over my head and leaned against the window, staring down at the road. I tried to tune out the shouts, the constant sound of honking and roaring engines, and the clicks of peoples' feet.

"To your new, and hopefully more than a few months, home," Ashley said.

"Funny," I mumbled against the window.

"Come on, Annabeth, you have to be tired of this shit by now." I know she's gesturing with her hands, she's a hand gesturer especially when annoyed. As her rant continued, it's her ending question that gets me to turn around. "I mean, do you even try anymore?"

"Why should I?" I snapped, feeling defensive. "I got two years left until you guys emancipate me and then I'm finally on my own and not your headache anymore."

She sighed, face hardening. "You got two years left to finally get a family who wants you, Annabeth, one you deserve. Don't even think for a second your mom is going to wait for you."

That's when my face hardens. I don't even think for a second as I slam my door close and bolt across the street.

* * *

It doesn't take very long for Ashley to find me and literally drag me by the ear to the stupid apartment building that alleyway guy peed on.

Whenever I disappear, they always have Ashley come find me because she knows where to look and where I'm hiding. I guess it comes with the territory of knowing someone for nine years. The worst thing about it though is that I'm cursed into knowing everything about her too. I know she'll only go for the guys who treat her like crap, that she only drinks that nasty smelling tea with lots of honey, and also that she wishes she had a southern accent because who wouldn't want one? She's one of those people who loves those franchises—like Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Divergent but she never got into Twilight because of a nightmare she had of sparkling vampires (which I agreed). She's a vegetarian, hates pink but loves the brand pink, she was once in the system too until her grandfather got her out when she was ten, loves her job though she acts like she doesn't, she's actually a nice and civilized person when she's not being all defensive, and she has a dog named Pops after her grandfather.

It's unfortunate that I know so much because it means that I actually love her and it makes me attached to her which just means she's another person that I could lose. I wished she had adopted me. I asked her once when I was nine. She didn't say anything, just silently cried when she thought I wasn't looking; it was raining that day, she was driving me to another home.

The funny thing is that Ashley could totally pass as my older sister, which I have pointed out a few times to get a rise out of her. We both have wavy blonde hair though hers is dirtier while mine is more gold. We both have similar athletic build and both being average height. We have the same round face and full eye lashes; the only main difference is our eyes. Ashley has dull green eyes, growing more palpable with her growing age of thirty-seven to thirty-eight while my eyes, as people have pointed out, are a startling, vibrant blue-grey. Sometimes people tell me they're unnerving, especially as I give them a calculating stare as they put it. Apparently it wasn't proper for a ten-year-old girl to scare potential parents with a cold look so Ashley bumped my head and told me to knock it off. I laughed but I knew I wouldn't because I couldn't help it … it's the only thing I inherited from my mother anyway.

Funny story, my mother …

Sighing, I rolled my eyes as I watched Ashley, with the brightest fakest smile she could muster, giving a few knocks on the apartment door 4B. She moves her head slightly, giving me a look that said 'don't-screw-this-up-or-you're-grounded' before turning back to the door, her grip on my backpack tightening because she knows I'm going to make a run for it. I snort, as if she could ground me.

Taking a quick look around the hallway of my soon-to-be-temporarily-home, I notice the inside isn't as bad as I originally thought especially considering what the outside looks like. Dark brown pattern carpet, tan-brown colored walls, and a red streaming wallpaper. The decoration is plain and the architect is boring and repetitive seeing as the corridor is just rectangular shaped, something I wouldn't do.

Suddenly the door opens, breaking me out of my criticizing train of thoughts— my jaw drops.

"Shit."


End file.
